


A New Charm

by Firegirl156



Category: RWBY
Genre: Feelings, M/M, Minor Character Death, Past Character Death, Resurrection, Self-Hatred
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-07
Updated: 2020-02-07
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:13:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22595329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Firegirl156/pseuds/Firegirl156
Summary: In a bid to right things with Qrow, Oz and James grant him his greatest wish. But will Qrow be able to move past his own guilt. Can Clover help him?
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi
Comments: 13
Kudos: 158





	A New Charm

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired and encouraged by my friends on the server. Love ya'll.

Tyrian screamed and snarled as he fought at his bindings, his eyes flying back and forth between the three figures in the room. The Tinman General, the boy Wizard, and his Scarecrow. “This is a pretty odd place for an execution General. Letting a foe so close to your precious vault, to your precious Staff,” Tyrian snapped in the General’s direction. 

James looked at Tyrian passively for a moment before turning to Oscar, Ozpin currently at the helm. “I don’t wish to rush, but I asked Penny to come down in only a few minutes and I’d rather her not have to see this Oz.”

Ozpin nodded and looked to Qrow, face serious. “And you’re sure this is what you want?” There was no judgement in his tone, simply a search for a firm response. 

Qrow looked down into his hand, Clover’s pin pressed into his fist, long cleaned of blood, but the heavy guilt still hung over him. _Your fault. Always your fault._ He gripped his fist a little tighter. “It is. I think it’s the least he can do for what he’s done.”

Tyrian looked between the 3, irritation starting to leech into his expression. “What are you all talking about? Hm? What do you think I’d ever do for you? Certainly nothing that would upset my Goddess,” he snapped at them, trying to garner their attention, to get a reaction from them. 

The boy turned to him, face still ever passive. The Wizard through and through. “You are doing nothing on your own. We have chosen to take that choice from you. Tyrian Callows you have been convicted for the murders of countless by your own hands, and I shudder to think of how many more through passive action. As such, we pass judgement of guilt on you. However you are too dangerous to be left alive.” 

Tyrian’s expression soured fully now. “Yes, yes I had assumed so hadn’t I. So what will it be? Who will it be? The Tinman in revenge for his nation? Or the Scarecrow for his precious little friend?” he taunted more now, swaying a bit in his bindings as he looked over at Qrow with a sick smile. 

Qrow was relieved more in that moment he’d chosen to leave Harbinger upstairs. His self-control was already waning on not taking him out with his bare hands. 

“Neither. Instead we have chosen that your life, used to take so many, should be used to return life to one who’s was wrongfully cut short by your own hand,” Ozpin declared and he drew out the Staff. 

Tyrian put it together quickly, eyes darting from the Staff, to Qrow, to Ozpin. “You can’t! It’s impossible to bring someone back from the dead!”

“In the traditional sense, you are correct. However, the Staff creates. And the limit on that is as limitless as the human imagination. However for a specific purpose like this, you must exchange something of equal value. It cannot create it from nothing,” Ozpin calmly explained and James moved a bed with a sheet over it into view. 

Qrow was dedicated and determined in his decision, but it didn’t make it any easier to watch. But he swore when he chose this path he wouldn’t look away. He’d directly face the consequences of his actions. _Another life at your hand. It won’t balance, you know that._  
Ozpin activated the Staff and in his mind channeled what he wanted it to do. It was not his first time. He prayed it would be his last. 

“You can’t do this! You can’t! She’ll get you! She’ll get all of you!” Tyrian screamed until the scepter touched his chest and he froze, eyes wide in shock. Then, he slowly sifted into dust, swirling up and into the Staff. When he was completely gone, the Staff shining brightly, Ozpin stepped forward and lay the end on the body under the sheet. 

Light shone brighter around the Staff that then spread, catching on the sheet and spreading over the whole of the body below it. The three figures winced away from the light until finally it dimmed, the light receding, and then finally fading.

Ozpin pulled the Staff back and all three looked over with bated breath. 

A beat. Another. Qrow looked away.

_It didn’t work. Of course it didn’t. You can even ruin ancient magic rituals._

A groan. His eyes snapped back and slowly the figure under the sheet twitched and then slowly sat up, the sheet falling off of him. His clothing was still ripped, a large scar lay down his chest. _Marked forever because of you._ He raised an arm to rub at his head. And then his eyes opened. Qrow’s breath caught in his chest. 

Clover looked around the room, dazed and confused. They were before the Vault. He looked around and found the General, the boy Oscar, and Qrow.  
Qrow!

The memories flooded back to him. The wanted list, the crash, the fight, Tyrian, and then-

His hand flew to his chest. An unfamiliar scar met his eyes and his fingertips. He’d- He remembered it. The pain. The cold. Qrow beside him. And then. 

“I don’t understand.” His throat was dry, he felt like he hadn’t spoke for ages. 

“Welcome back Commander Ebi. It will be a little confusing for a while. But for now you should rest. You have been through an ordeal,” Oscar told him, his voice a little deeper, almost aged sounding. 

Clover didn’t want to wait. He didn’t want to rest. He wanted to know what happened. How he was alive. He turned to Qrow, he’d answer his questions. But he was gone. He stiffly turned to look for him, but instead he caught sight of Penny gliding down. She never did like to wait for the elevator. 

“Qrow told me you were ready sir,” she said with a happy smile as she landed by Oscar. 

Oscar frowned just slightly before nodding and handing Penny the Staff. 

Clover had just about reached a breaking point when she took it and stepped over to the vault, touching the door and standing back as the panels slid back to reveal a hazy forest. She stepped through, humming to herself. 

The bed he was on moved and he glanced over to see the General pushing him. “What happened?” he demanded again, voice a little stronger. 

“A lot, Commander. But it can wait. I need you back to full health as fast as possible. And for that, no matter what you want, you have to rest.” The General’s tone was firm, but Clover could detect some kind of underlying emotion that set him on edge. 

~~~

Qrow stood out on the small balcony outside his room and stared out over the Atlas skyline, fighting every instinct in him to fly off and get a drink. The back of Clover’s pin dug into his hand. 

_You saw that scar. That’s your fault. You didn’t pay attention. You took your eyes off Tyrian. Everything that happened with Clover, everything he’ll have to go through is your fau-_

A knock on his door detracted his thoughts and he turned to it, grimacing. “Ruby I’m okay I promise. Just give me some space kiddo!” he called to the door. She’d been worried about him, really worried since she’d found out what happened. Couldn’t say he blamed her, but still, right now he just wanted to be alone. 

_Because you’re less of a ri-_

The knock came again and he sighed, running his empty hand through his hair as he started for the door. “Ruby please I’m-”

All words left him, all air left him, as he opened the door. Clover stood there, still a little pale, but looking clearer headed. A simple green t-shirt covered him now and a pair of white pants. He seemed, in expression alone, more hesitant than Qrow believed he’d ever seen him. 

The two watched each other, both hesitating to make the first move, to use the first word. To break that deafening silence. 

Clover seemed to find the nerve first. “Hey, sorry to bother you but. I… I think we need to talk.”

Qrow tried not to react, to keep his face passive as he stepped back and offered Clover in, who accepted and stepped inside. 

The room hadn’t changed since Clover had last been there, a week ago. No. A month ago, Elm’s words reminded him. He’d been gone a month. He supposed he could only be grateful it wasn’t longer. He stepped to his chair, was it still his? And took a seat. 

Qrow closed the door and sat in his own chair. The silence arrived again. 

_He’s here to tell you it was your fault. That you’re a danger. That he nev-_

“So, Elm filled me in on some of what happened. Enough to get the picture at least,” Clover’s words broke him out of his thoughts. 

Qrow frowned. That was promising. The Ops hadn’t spoken to him since he returned to Atlas after what happened. Unless you counted Harriet cursing him. 

_It’s what you deserved isn’t it? You killed their leader. Might as well have been by your own hand. Certainly was your own-_

“Have to thank Robyn later for helping you get Tyrian under arrest. To think you both had to clean up my mess. Pretty embarrassing. Gonna take some real effort to make up for that one,” Clover chuckled softly. 

Qrow looked at him for a moment. Another. He didn’t… “I don’t understand.” 

Clover paused from what he’d been about to continue with and looked at Qrow just as confused. 

It snapped the little control Qrow had left. “Why are you here? Just sitting there chatting like we’re playing a game of cards! You were dead Clover! Cold in the snow by my own weapon! Practically my own hand!” He was on his feet now. 

_You did it. You weren’t watching. You let your guard down. You stood there and let him die._

“Qrow, you didn’t-” 

“I did! Of course I did! Because that’s what I do! I told you on that first mission that I work better alone because of my Semblance and you got an up close and personal reason why! Your Semblance directly counteracts mine and I still got you killed!”

_You’re the problem. You’re always the problem. It’s your fault like it always is. You killed him. His blood on the snow, his blood on your sword, his blood on your hands. You ruin everything you touch. And you dared hope you could have him._

“Qrow!"

He was jolted into his own body by Clover’s yell. When did he get against the wall? When did Clover get so close? Why did he get so close. 

“Stay away!” Qrow tried to push him away but Clover caught his wrists. 

“Qrow you’re nearly in a full blown panic attack. You need to calm down, you need to breathe. Just that okay,” Clover told him evenly, trying to coach him into calming down. 

Instinct told Qrow to run. To get away. But his body was overriding that order. Demanding the calm in an insistence to survive. 

It took a few minutes, but slowly, finally, Qrow calmed down enough to think. 

He pulled back, out of Clover’s touch, eyes away to the floor. “Thanks,” he mumbled out, “Sorry for that.”

Clover tried to pretend the rejection didn’t sting as he moved back. He’d never said as much, and neither had Qrow, but still…

Maybe he’d been wrong. It wouldn’t be the first time, but damn if he hadn’t hoped it would be the last. And yet. Elm had said it was Qrow’s wish. Harriet had begrudgingly grumbled that the older man had beat himself up enough she hadn’t even been able to make any real comments he hadn’t said himself. 

Determination hit him. 

“You have to stop blaming yourself for everything that goes wrong.”

Qrow’s eyes snapped to him, startled. “What?” 

“I mean it Qrow. Sometimes bad things happen. People make mistakes. Our Semblances aren’t us. They aren’t our actions. You have done a whole lot of good in your life. And bad things have happened to me despite mine long before I knew you existed,” he paused and straightened himself up more. 

“I am just as at fault for what happened that day as you. I escalated the situation despite knowing Robyn’s temperament. I let my priorities get out of order and chose to fight both of you instead of handling the real threat first. And despite knowing my Aura was down, and despite knowing Tyrian was loose, I let my guard down. That was just as much my fault as yours.”  


Qrow knew, logically, he was right. He knew that the entire situation had been bad and there were so many to blame. But so much in the past had been his fault.  


Clover put a hand on his shoulder. “Sometimes bad things just happen. It’s not fair, or right, but it happens. All we can do is take the situation and try to make it better. And you did that. I don’t blame you. So I really don’t want you blaming yourself.” 

_He’s lying._

No. He wasn’t. Clover didn’t lie to him. It was something he’d picked up early on. Clover seemed very honest and open with him. And he wouldn’t start lying now. Not after that. 

The tension leeched from him and he let out a long breath of relief. “I can’t promise it’ll be easy for me. But I’ll work on it,” he nodded. 

Clover smiled at that and nodded. “Just something else we’ll have to work on as we go.” 

Qrow was struck instantly by the mixture of Clover’s eyes and his smile. A month had seemed like an eternity without them around. He’d made such an impact on him in such a short time. And that word. 

“We?"

Clover’s smile only grew, “Of course. These things can’t be done alone. And I wouldn’t dream of not being by your side to help.” 

By his side… He’d never said anything. He hadn’t dared hope. No matter how many signs Clover seemed to give him. But after it all…

“Clover. I have to ask you something. And you can tell me I’m stupid or delusional. But I have to ask… I need to know. What are your feelings towards me?” Qrow hated putting himself out like this. Hated the welling feeling of possible rejection. 

Clover looked at him in surprise, and it was his turn to get just a little flustered. He could flirt like the last man alive, but he’d admit he hadn’t got past that part very often. But he wouldn’t deny Qrow had seemed different the moment he saw him. 

“How much flirty banter does a man have to make to get his feelings across,” he chuckled a bit, his tone teasing, but the sincerity ringing through the words. 

Qrow let out the breath he’d been holding. “Well, I mean, I don’t understand why it’d be me.” 

Clover shook his head and slowly, giving Qrow plenty of space if he wasn’t ready, reached out and took his hand. When Qrow didn’t pull away he went to intertwine their fingers, pausing when a familiar shape was found.  
Qrow jumped a bit and then raised and opened his hand, revealing Clover’s lucky pin. 

Clover took it with a soft smile. “I was wondering where it was. Afraid I lost it to the tundra.” 

“I couldn’t leave it,” Qrow insisted. 

Clover smiled at it, and then Qrow, reaching out and deftly pinning it to Qrow’s vest. 

Qrow looked from it, to him, startled. “But it’s the luckiest thing you have.”

Clover’s hand lingered above Qrow’s chest and then slowly rested against it, trying to be as considerate as he could to the others boundaries. 

“It was. But meeting you was the luckiest thing that’s ever happened to me. So that would make you my newest good luck charm.” 

Qrow looked at him stunned, eyes wide as the words sunk in. Good luck charm.

“That’s not exactly logical,” Qrow finally responded. But the smile on his face, and the gentleness in his tone said it was more tease than seriousness. 

Clover chuckled and traced his hand up to the side of Qrow’s face, savoring the ability to be allowed to just, touch him right now. “Now, when has love ever been logical?” 

Qrow leaned into Clover’s touch. His other hand coming up to settle on his arm. The closeness of the taller man was registering in his head, the touch, the want and willingness to be close to him. It seemed like a dream, but he knew better than to think this could simply be a dream. 

And that word. “Love?”

Clover nodded. “Not a question in my mind it’s anything else. At least from me.”

Qrow leaned against him. “Never dared to put a name to the feeling before.”

They were so close, Qrow was so close. He wanted… He needed… “I want to kiss you.” 

Qrow’s lip quirked up into a small grin. “I’d be insulted if you didn’t.”

Clover didn’t hesitate to lean down and finally meet Qrow’s lips with his own. And Brothers, it was a dream come true. 

Qrow melted into him, his other hand sliding up and threading through Clover’s hair. He’d wanted this so badly and he never wanted it to end. 

And for a long moment it didn’t, only ending when air became a requirement and even then Clover only separated far enough that he pressed his forehead to Qrow’s. 

“Definitely my Good Luck Charm,” he grinned. 

All Qrow could do is smile.

**Author's Note:**

> I have no idea if this is any good but the brainchild wouldn’t rest. I hope you all liked it!


End file.
